CazRail

Work is still happening on the layout! It's slow progress, but it's getting there. 

The whole layout might not appear at the show due to possible space constraints at the venue, but I'm hoping it will. 

On 04/02/2023 at 17:04, MJI said:

Looking at those I think you should investigate getting your own printer.

 

Would be roughly a pound (50p to £2) each in resin.

That's the plan in due course, once I get round to it. 

Hoping to create more CADs soon, which will make it more worthwhile to get my own resin machine. I do have an FDM printer, but I've never got on with it. 

EWS 31... Accurascale saw me coming 😆

Ive decided to replace the 3D printed ladders with etched stainless steel versions...

Before:

After:

It's a vast improvement from the previous chunky ladders. I will replace the rest in due course.

Missed out on the first run as I had prioritised other things, but have now ordered D9000 and 9016.

Both fit in my era, so two Deltics that aren't 'rule 1'!

"Go home, TPE, you're drunk..."

10 hours ago, Enfys_Rainbow said:

Nice to see this back Caz!

 

Still a favourite prototype, and I always enjoy looking at the line from the Dingle/path.

Thanks! Got a bit of work to do to get it back to a good standard. 

Done a little more scenery work this evening...

Getting in a nice mix of colour, the new water will help tone down the overall look.

What Welsh layout would be complete without daffodils, eh?!

Static grass is WWS, buddleiah/bramble/daffodils by Tasima.

The layout improvement work started in earnest today, starting with ripping out the old water from the lake. This was made from toilet paper glued down with PVA, crumpled up to represent ripples, painted shades of blue, and painted over with artist's gloss medium. It'll be replaced by AK Interactive's clear water effects applied over different shades of grey.

I then proceeded to strip most of the scenics from the land, mainly the bushes, and added more sculptamold to tidy up what the bushes was hiding.

This will be mostly replaced by long grasses of pale greens and yellows to replicate what's at the actual location. 

Also, this evening I had an impromptu airbrush session, firstly to gloss varnish the last 6 PABs ready for transfers, then to matt varnish the 11 complete vehicles. I then proceeded to get on with another project for Jack.

Following some changes to the CAD, the hopper discharge doors arrived today. 

Before fitting. Some of the hoppers required the bottom edge filed slightly to get these to fit. Others popped in beautifully. 

A look before they were painted.

And after paint. They finish off each wagon well, instead of there being gaping holes at the bottom of each hopper.

15 minutes ago, surfsup said:

 

Ah... I think I've worked out why, particularly as the previous TFW 67 release was also 67025. But the main issue is that Hornby very much appears to have jumped the gun on that, as the real thing hasn't been painted into the TfW Black livery yet (it's still white). oops. 

In the photo/render, the model is numbered 67020.

They look very impressive! 

On 11/01/2023 at 00:59, Merfyn Jones said:

Not sure yet what to bring.

Whatever you bring I look forward to see it!

So tonight I completed one project ready for March's show, which was to replace the blown decoder in my Ivatt 2mt tank.

I used a LaisDCC 6-pin socket, wired to the loco using the harness, then popped in a Zimo MS500 chip loaded with Paul Chetter's 2mt sound project, supported by a stay alive capacitor(stowed away in the coal bunker) and a Rail Exclusive Baby Boomer speaker.

Very happy to have this loco back in action, it'll hopefully add some extra interest on the day, along with my DCC Sound Vitrains RfD 47.

So I'm quite happy about the EWS packs, they'll definitely be purchased. 

The TTAs look quite good, looking forwards to see them in more liveries. 

Also interested to see how the Bluetooth DCC system goes. Definitely something to keep an eye on. 

46 minutes ago, Merfyn Jones said:

Se you there Caz.

Looking forwards. Will you have a layout there?

EWS mk2s will do me! Had planned to re-spray some, so saves me a project!

So it's almost 3 years since the last post on this thread, which was near enough the start of the Covid pandemic.

Before the world stood still, the layout was due, that March, to feature in it's second exhibition, being the Anglesey Model and Collections show in Llangefni. Alas, the lockdown put paid to that, and with it, work on the layout ceased.

This year, the layout has again received an invite, so there will be some work now to tidy up the layout and get it back up to standard!

I will share updates as I go.

It was briefly back to the CAD tonight, where I completed the final part of the wagons, being the hopper discharge doors.

Two of these will fit onto the bottom of each wagon, completing the look of the wagons. I've ordered enough for all 17 wagons, which should arrive about a week after the remaining 6 wagons.

1 hour ago, Covkid said:

 

I guess EWS liveried class 37s are heritage now

Just wundrin whether people who like these prefer "EW&S"   or "EWS" ?

 

Both for sure! Will definitely be needing some EWS 37s, got a few Vi ones to replace. 

Wouldn't mind 37408, 37895 and a few others.

Hoping also for Regional Railways /4s!

A short video I took before shutting the layout down for the evening. 

11 wagons complete, 6 more to go. Really enjoyed this project.

Found your youtube channel via your class 59 video a week or so ago. The layout looks great! 

My Victor Hugo arrived this morning. Absolutely blown away. Superb bit of kit.

3 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

Check the wheel treads. I've come across some that aren't particularly smooth, so have a rough surface causing the noise.

Thanks Mick!

I'll have a look tomorrow. I've thought about replacing them with suitable Bachmann ones. I found with my PAB wagons that Hornby wheels are very rough sounding especially on curves. Put Bachmann ones in and they run beautifully. 

Not sure whether this has been mentioned before, my FGW mk3s seem to be rather noisy when they run. 

Is this a wheelset issue or something else? (like chassis being fairly hollow for example)